The Choice
by HanyouKag
Summary: The romance between Inuyasha and Kagome as they continue their journey. Some Mir/Sang too!
1. Danger

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters! :D

Inuyasha's nose pricked at the sickening and pungent scent of blood. He realized with silent shock that he recognized whom the blood belonged to. It was Kagome's, and there was a lot of it. He pushed away silently and launched himself into the air. Anger and worry were etched on his boyish face. His amber eyes turned into molten gold as he moved quickly towards the growing smell. Moonlight streamed through the leaves of the trees and cast dappled shadows on the ground and the young hanyou. His white hair glowed silver when the light caught it and his feet hardly touched the ground as his mind singled in on his one target: Kagome.

Kagome. He could picture her in his head: Her shiny black hair, her chocolate brown eyes, her scent, and her vulnerability. She always felt so vulnerable and frail in his arms. He always needed to protect her because of it. A light pink blushed across his face and he quickly brandished the thought.

The scent was almost overpowering when Inuyasha jumped lithely from the high tree branch that he had just jumped in. His keen eyes began picking out the small clearing that he had landed in. The smell surrounded him and made him feel sick inside. He was worried and began to panic when he couldn't see her. Smell wouldn't do him any good when it was all around him. He whipped furiously from side to side, his long hair flipping everywhere.

"Kagome!?" he yelled into the silent night. A light breeze was the only response he received. "Kagome! Kagome, where are you?!" A ruffling noise brushed in a bush behind him. Inuyasha swirled around with a snarl on his face, ready to kill whoever had hurt Kagome. His snarl was quickly replaced by a worried gasp.

Kagome came stumbling out of the bushes, leaning almost all of her weight on her trademark red bow. Her hair was matted with her own blood and her once white school blouse was in tatters and stained a deep red. She was covered in so much blood; he couldn't discern where her injuries were. She teetered unsteadily on her feet and started to fall forward as her eyes fluttered shut.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha immediately rushed forward and followed her decent while catching her in his arms. Her knees slowly met with the ground as he supported the majority of her weight. The moon reflected against her skin and he could see how pale she was. His acute hearing picked up her weak heartbeat and shallow breathing. "Kagome? Kagome please!" His voice was lost in the growing breeze that kicked up, seemingly coming from out of the forest. Kagome's bloody hair blew towards him and intermingled with his silver tresses. She had his full attention as his worry grew more as the breaks between each weakened heartbeat seemed to grow longer. 'Don't you die on me Kagome,' he thought angrily as he lifted her gently in his arms. He set off at break-neck speed towards the nearest village.

Light streamed through the window of the small hut. Dust floated in the golden rays. Kagome stirred slightly as the warmth and light of the mid-morning sun hit her eyelids. Some part of her wanted to keep sleeping and not feel the immense pain that she had fallen asleep with. Her worry for Inuyasha was the only cause for her slow arrival into consciousness. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself gazing into deep amber pools.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered almost inaudibly. Relief visibly flooded the hanyou's facial features and the deep crease on his forehead diminished. A small smile lit upon his face as he gazed right back into Kagome's deep brown eyes. He ignored the fact that her skin was still a sickly pale and that her hair was still matted and sticky with blood. A woolen blanket was laid carefully over her bandaged body. A tinge of embarrassment hit her when she realized she wasn't wearing anything but the white bandages. She gripped the pale brown blanket tightly and pulled it closer around herself. More embarrassment hit when she realized Inuyasha was gripping her right hand tightly. She released their eye contact and looked at their joined hands. A pink blush lit upon the young boy's face as he quickly released her hand and looked elsewhere.

"Inuyasha." She sighed happily. He was ok. She looked around the small room. She didn't recognize where she was. The small hut looked the same as any did in the Feudal Era. It was square and the floor was half wooden boards and half dirt. A small fire burned on the dirt half with a pot hanging above it. The sweet smell of food drifted to her and she heard her stomach begging. Inuyasha's sensitive ears didn't miss the sound. He quickly produced a bowl of stew and helped her carefully lean against the wall to eat.

After finishing two bowls quickly, Kagome noticed the emotion within Inuyasha's eyes for the first time. She saw the anger and the regret there as well as some remaining worry. She quickly cast her gaze downward and stared intently into the empty bowl. She moved the chopsticks around and let her thoughts wander to the night….

_Kagome pushed the grass door aside in anger as she stormed out of Kaede's hut. It hung on one hinge and wobbled back and forth in the wind. Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Shippo, and Kaede could only look out the door after her. It was a situation they had lived through constantly and they all knew it was best to just let Kagome storm away. Everyone lowered there heads and cursed Inuyasha's stupidity. _

_"Idiot," Shippo muttered as Kirara mewed in agreement. Kaede just clicked her tongue and went about organizing herbs. 'Will ye ever let my sister go, Inuyasha?' _

_"Inuyasha, you're such a jerk," Kagome growled to herself as she re-adjusted her yellow backpack. She kept mumbling angrily to herself as she approached the bone eater's well. Her anger overpowered her spiritual power, so she never sensed the impending doom that awaited her in the nearby clearing…_

_Inuyasha chased the soul collectors all the way to the edge of The Forest of Inuyasha. He smiled a brief toothy grin when he realized they never changed the name of the forest. His heart beat guilt through every vein when he thought of Kagome. She was going to be mad at him again, but he couldn't stop chasing Kikyo. Something in him made him keep going after her, no matter what it did to Kagome. He sped up. Maybe if he got it done over with, he could catch her before she left to her world. The moon rose higher and higher in the sky as he pressed on towards the unnatural glow coming from the forest's edge. _

_Kagome broke free of the trees and stepping into the clearing. Wind whipped leaves around her, forcing her to cover her eyes with the back of her hand. A slim woman dressed in a multi-colored kimono stepped off of the air gently in front of her. Her fingers shot up as she carefully caught a feather in between her fingers. _

_"Kagura." Kagome sneered the name and took a step back. She immediately brought her hand up to grasp the last jewel shard in her fist. They worked too hard to get it and keep it safe; she wouldn't let it be taken now. She let her backpack fall to the ground as she gripped her red bow securely in her hand. The moon shone down through the cloud and illuminated the clearing. Kagome pulled an arrow out of her quiver and held it in the same hand as her bow. Her hand never left the jewel shard. _

_"I'm not here for the shard. Naraku can take that at any time. I've come here for YOU," at the last word, Kagura released a shot of wind towards the young miko. Kagome released her arrow and purified the winds. "Dance of the Dragon," Kagura yelled as tornados of wind sprang forward. Kagome didn't have an arrow prepared in time. A small squeak was all that had time to be released before the winds struck her and flung her through the air and into the forest. _

_Inuyasha had found Kikyo. He approached her carefully, afraid that she would either try to kill him or would disappear. She instead through her arms around him tightly. He stood shocked for a moment before wrapping his arms protectively around her. It hit him for a moment that there wasn't even any feeling behind the action. He just felt like he needed to do it. His mind never left the thought of Kagome. Her beautiful eyes and scent and even her temper was something he admired. Even a demon couldn't stand against the girl when she was angry. A small gust of wind kicked the smell of blood towards him. He recognized it as Kagome's and he pushed Kikyo away from him with an apologetic look upon her face. He was shocked to see she was showing him the same emotion. She looked guilty and sorry for something. Not having a moment to waste to ask her, Inuyasha kicked away and headed towards the smell…_

"Kagome? Kagome are you listening?" Kagome was brought out of her thoughts by Inuyasha shaking her shoulders. She had a chopstick resting idly in her mouth. Her eyes slowly regained focus as she returned to the present.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha…I'm just…tired," she lied. She couldn't let him get hurt anymore than he already was. She could see the guilt and hatred in his eyes. He would immediately dash off to whoever had hurt her. She didn't want that. Kagura getting killed wouldn't be that big of a deal, but it was what Kagura said before Kagome lost unconsciousness that made her not want to tell Inuyasha. It was who was really behind it that would hurt him…

Kagome had tossed and turned all night, her pain bringing her out of slumber. She would wake in the night gasping as she thought about the words that Kagura had said and that the wind had carried to Kagome's ears alone. She couldn't get the words out of her head! Every time she awoke, she found herself staring into those deep amber pools. The first time she had been shocked and slapped him hard across his face on impulse. After her third time of waking, she wasn't surprised to see him staring at her-safely from across the room.

Morning finally came and Kagome felt as if she hadn't slept at all. She remained underneath the rough, wool blanket and only responded to eat food. Inuyasha faithfully never left her side; he was always there to lend her a hand with eating and sitting up. Hardly anything was said between the two. Kagome didn't want to hurt Inuyasha and Inuyasha didn't want to admit that he had failed protecting her and had seemingly chosen Kikyo again. A light breeze blew through the window and at once, everything changed.

Inuyasha was on his feet in seconds, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Miroku and Sango got to their feet as well. Everyone had learned to trust Inuyasha's sense of smell and his instincts. Kagome slowly pulled herself to her feet as she grabbed her bow that she had used as a cane three nights ago. A dizzy and sick feeling rushed through her head as her body protested to moving so quickly, but she pushed the feeling aside and didn't allow any emotion to show on her face. She had hoped that Inuyasha would ignore her standing, but she had no such luck.

"What are you going, Kagome? Lie down," he growled at her, only momentarily letting down his guard. She cast a dark glare his way which shut him up immediately. He decided to ignore it for now, but boy would she be hearing it from him later! He drew Tetsusaiga as he charged out the door. He knew this scent.

Villagers had taken up spears and bows and were surrounding their priestess Kaede's hut. Demons had swarmed everywhere and were converged behind a single woman.

"Kagura," Inuyasha sneered while planting his feet and holding Tetsusaiga in both hands. The only response he got was a small smile. She held her fan against one shoulder blade and she subconsciously tapped it lightly against herself. The demons behind her wiggled in anticipation. Some let out squeals and yells. They were all ready to fight, ready to die even. Kagome slowly pushed the grass-curtain doorway aside and stepped out, careful not to open any old wounds. Kagura's smile quickly vanished as her eyes lit upon the injured miko.

"How are you still alive?" The words grew in climax with the wind. There was no mistaking it. Kagura was mad. 'Naraku will kill me if he hears about this. I will have to finish her off.' Kagura let the bottom half of her fan fall. It opened slowly. Inuyasha set his weight and planted his feet. He was ready to defeat her.

"Kagome shall DIE," Kagura screamed as she released the winds. Inuyasha quickly spun around and grabbed Kagome, pulling her with him as he dodged the dangerous winds. Kaede's hut was blasted into a million pieces and men from the village went flying in every direction. Inuyasha's nose filled with 

the scent of their blood as they impacted the ground. His attention was immediately directed at Kagome, though.

"Kagome, are you alright?" he questioned. She only nodded slightly as she tried to hold back tears from the pain of being moved too swiftly. Inuyasha could smell the salt pushing at the edges of her eyes. 'Oh man. If there's one thing I hate, it's Kagome in pain…or Kagome sad,' he thought as he gently set her on the ground. He grasped her wrist in comfort. "Kagome, stay here, ok?" She nodded again and looked him directly in the eyes. He stared back and lost his breath in the depth of her eyes. 'She is really beautiful…I mean, she looks like Kikyo, who is beautiful'. He quickly corrected himself in his mind and pushed away all feelings for Kagome. It wasn't like she was more than his friend, right?

Miroku had stepped up in front of Kagura. "What do you want with Kagome?" he demanded. Although he didn't look like much of a threat, Kagura knew better. In the very with which he held his golden staff was a depth of wind that even she couldn't overcome. A chill ran down her spine when she realized the danger she was in standing directly in front of him as she was. Keeping him talking was her only hope. She needed to buy time anyway...

New Chapter to be posted soon! Please review, it will make me happy and get a chapter up quicker!


	2. The Pain of the Choice

Here is Chapter 2! I hope you enjoy it! Sorry that it is a bit shorter than the last one. I have classes, so it's getting trickier to find time to write!

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters...:(

"Answer me!" Miroku's voice was full of conviction and power. Kagura took a half step backwards and brought her fan in front of her as a defense. Miroku had pushed the end of his staff into the ground and was holding his prayer beads tightly in his other hand. He pulled them tighter and she knew he could remove them in a split second. The demon-slayer woman took up a defensive stance to the left of the dangerous monk. Kagura smiled again and opened her mouth to speak.

"I have been sent to destroy the girl--," Kagura began. Inuyasha quickly cut her off with a threat.

"You lay a hand on Kagome and I will slit your throat, Kagura," he growled as he stood protectively in front of Kagome. 'Why are they after her all of a sudden? Just like whoever attacked the other night…' His amber eyes opened wide as the pieces finally fit together. "You were the one who attacked the other night, weren't you?!"

Kagura let out a wicked laugh. The demons behind her gurgled out their laughter along with her. "You're just now figuring this out? Only it wasn't my intent or Naraku's. Someone else has placed this request." Kagura smirked as she realized that she had them now. They wouldn't kill her if they knew she had information to provide them. She held her fan closed in front of her chest. The demons began to move in irritation. They were hungry for blood.

"Who? Who wants to kill Kagome?" Sango beat Inuyasha to the question. Kagome was just as important to her. She wasn't ready to let someone kill her. Her hand gripped the Hiraikotsu more tightly. She could throw it within a second. Kagura tried to think of a way to keep the conversation moving, but a sound of pain told her that was no longer needed. Another smile found its way to her face. 'It's done.'

Kagome let out another shrill of pain as she collapsed to the dirt. She gripped her heart and writhed around on the ground. Her new school uniform was turned brown as the dirt stained it. Inuyasha immediately let his guard down to tend to Kagome. Kagura took her chance and launched an attack. "Dance of Blades!"

Inuyasha smelled the enclosing wind and quickly grabbed Kagome in his free hand. He pulled her to safety and turned to face Kagura. The last he saw of her was a retreating white feather. All at once, the demons swarmed the small group. Inuyasha had no choice but to set the suffering Kagome down. He held the Tetsusaiga in both hands and released his most formidable attack. "Adamant Barrage!" He let the shards of diamond fly from his sword as he lent some of his fury to the attack. What was happening to Kagome? Who wanted her dead?

Demons dropped to the ground as the unbreakable material severed them. Sango and Miroku took out the few that remained as Inuyasha quickly shoved Tetsusaiga into its sheath and hurried to Kagome's side. She had stopped moving and lay very still upon the patch of grass that Inuyasha had placed her on. He could here her heartbeat slow along with her breathing. He could tell that she was going to die if nothing was done.

Sango and Miroku quickly rushed over to where Inuyasha was holding Kagome in his arms. The look of anger upon his face told them everything. He would always choose to get angry over becoming 

sad. Something was very wrong with Kagome. Miroku laid his staff on the ground and knelt next to Inuyasha. He closed his eyes and slowly grabbed at the spiritual powers within himself. Pushing them out like a wave over Kagome, Miroku quickly found the problem.

"There is a disturbance within her spiritual powers," he stated matter-of-factly."Her powers are those of a miko and I, a simple monk, cannot begin to have the power needed to fix this. It would take someone with immense spiritual power to do damage like this. It is only them that can fix it." Everyone's thoughts instantly settled on one person. The person who had damaged Kagome's spiritual power and the one person who wanted her dead were one in the same. The dread in everyone's thoughts was that this one person was the only one with the power to fix the damage. No was said a word as silence ascended upon the small group. Only Inuyasha spoke.

"Kikyo."

That's it until next time!


	3. Running Away

Thank you for the reviews! They make me happy :)

**Disclaimer: **Still don't and never will own Inuyasha :P

Kagome's vision blackened but she still clung on to consciousness. She heard the dying demons all around her and she felt Shippo clinging to her school blouse and shaking her while screaming her name. He was so young; she couldn't die on him now. Not when she was the only family he had. Suddenly she felt Inuyasha's warmth around her. Guessing that she was being held in his arms, Kagome let out a smile sigh of happiness. She clung to the happiness and consciousness just long enough to feel the tension in the air and hear Inuyasha whisper, "Kikyo."

She then let go and drifted silently into nothingness. There was nothing around her but she knew she was somewhere. Her eyes were already open, but there was nothing to see. She listened and felt for anything to tell her where she was, but there was nothing. Panic started to rise in her as she realized she wasn't anywhere. She opened her mouth to scream and wasn't very surprised when no sound came out. Moving one finger at a time, she discovered she had regained control of her body at least. It felt like she was floating in nothing but air. Something within her felt wrong. There was a disturbance somewhere.

Pain laced down her back and she opened her mouth in a silent scream of terror and pain. Her heart felt like it was being ripped out. She was momentarily reminded of the time that the dark priestess put a curse on her. It felt similar only something was different. Did someone place another curse on her? No, something was different this time. That was the only thing she was sure of. This wasn't a curse. It was much worse. As she felt herself drifting away farther, Kagome tried to grasp onto what was left of herself. A white light surrounded her and lit up the black abyss that she was within.

Something within her told her this was her spiritual power. The light began to fade and drift away from her. Kagome reached her hand out and through everything she had into keeping it with her. She didn't know what she was doing. Frustration mounted as the light kept drifting away. Her mind and heart ached for her friends when she realized she would die if she couldn't figure out how to keep her power within herself. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara…they would be heartbroken if she were gone, wouldn't they? And what of Inuyasha? Her heart swelled fondly at the thought of him.

She refocused her thinking and threw her want out towards her powers. She envisioned her need for them to not be hurt as a hook and line and cast it towards her disappearing powers. She threw her hand outward and felt a connection somewhere. Gasping in the ecstasy that came with reconnecting to her powers, Kagome drew them back to her. Sweat laced down her forehead as she concentrated as hard as she could to pull her powers back to her. Light engulfed her as she fainted.

Inuyasha didn't leave Kagome's side for the entire night that she was unconscious. Worry overtook his face as he sat cross legged with Tetsusaiga resting on his shoulder. His eyes never left her sleeping form and at every grimace of pain that crossed her face, he was immediately holding her hand to help her get through the pain that overtook her from time to time. Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippo had already left the village that they had found immediately after Kagome had taken ill. Kaede's village was in ruins, and they needed to get her someplace safer. The others had gone to find out information on reversing whatever was happening to Kagome.

Inuyasha kept thinking about what was happening. Kikyo had done this to Kagome? Why would she do such a thing? Was she really that bitter and cold? As he became preoccupied with such questions, the sun began to slowly rise on the horizon. He felt Kagome's hand tighten around his and with a gasp of surprise, he looked down at her face. His eyes met her shining brown ones. They shimmered with immense depth and he found himself lost in them. "Kagome…" he whispered quietly, never breaking the eye contact.

She didn't mention him holding her hand this time. It felt nice to have that little bit of comfort. She smiled a small smile, one that she gave only to Inuyasha. She would have to tell him someday that his presence and the thought of him had saved her from losing her spiritual powers and her life. He had been her anchor in that world of nothingness. She sighed as she closed her eyes. That would be something she would have to tell him at a different time.

"Kagome. Are you ok now?" Kagome opened her eyes again and really took in his face. He was worried, of course. She decided that sleep could wait for the moment. She replied that she was ok and then proceeded to tell him about what had happened in the world of nothingness, leaving out using him as an anchor of course. He still held her hand. She finished her story and looked up into his face. He looked confused. Spiritual powers were something he knew nothing about.

"Are you saying you managed to manipulate your powers, Kagome?" a voice questioned from the doorway. Inuyasha immediately let go of Kagome's hand and fell back on his heels to put some distance between them. Miroku stepped into the room. Shippo came bounding in behind him and launched himself onto Kagome.

"Kagome! You're ok!" he squealed with childish delight. Kagome giggled as she held him. She slowly sat against the wall and set Shippo in her lap.

"Yes, Shippo. I'm fine now," she said back to him as she hugged him close to herself. Inuyasha watched and tried to put back the small feeling of jealousy he felt towards the little kit. Why couldn't she hold him like that? He quickly banished the thought and tried to direct his thoughts towards Kikyo. I mean, she was the one he loved. Kagome was just a friend. He repeated that last thought over and over to himself.

Sango came into the room with a bottle full of fresh spring water. She crossed the room and handed the water to Kagome with a smile. Kagome accepted it gratefully. After she had chugged down half of the bottle, Kagome rested back against her pillow, with her head propped up. She waited for the questions to begin. Her eyes drooped with exhaustion. It might have seemed like she was sleeping to anyone watching her, but it was really a fight for her life.

"I wonder what Kikyo is doing," Inuyasha accidently said out loud. He immediately regretted it and didn't even mean to say it out loud. He knew how much it hurt Kagome when he spoke of Kikyo and especially when he ran off with her. No one could miss the look of hurt in her eyes as she sat up waiting for him when he left.

"Inuyasha…" she began, a dangerous edge in her voice. Inuyasha backed up a few steps in fear. Before she could finish what she was going to say, Kagome slumped forward. Inuyasha remained frozen in fear. He waited until she let out a small snore. Carefully, he moved her down onto her back and placed her head gently on her pillow.

"Well, you lucked out on that one," Sango stated as she set Hiraikotsu on the floor. She sat cross-legged next to the small fire in the middle. She readjusted her skirt and poked the fire with a stick. Her thoughts drifted between Miroku, Naraku, and her poor brother Kohaku. She hardly took notice of Inuyasha getting up and leaving the small hut. Miroku followed him out.

"And just where are you heading?" he questioned with his nose slightly in the air. Inuyasha sniffed in two separate directions before nodding to himself.

"What is it to you, monk?" he sneered as he started to run off in the direction that his nose pointed him in. Miroku sighed inwardly. Kagome was not going to like this one bit.

Sorry for another short one but I wanted to get something else up before heading off to bed and then class tomorrow. My homework is starting to pile up, so I'm really sorry if I fall behind! Keep reading and reviewing and it might get an update up quicker ;)


	4. Chosen

This chapter is really short and I am really sorry, but I wanted to get out my next idea before I forgot it. Plus, I figured I should add another twist before making you guys wait for the next chapter ;)

**Disclaimer:**Don't own Inuyasha or any of the character :'(

Inuyasha ran through the forest. The wind sliced through his silver hair and caressed his face. Nothing could stop him from running. He trained his nose on one scent alone: Kikyo. The other scents from the forest were lost to him as he ran, unhindered by anything except the nagging voice in his head that yelled at him because of what this would inevitably do to Kagome. His ears sagged as he thought of her unhappy. Maybe she would leave for home. What if she never came back? The same questions arose every time he left for Kikyo. It tortured him but more importantly, it hurt Kagome.

The scent slowly grew stronger until it reached a climax. A light glow of spiritual power told him that Kikyo was just beyond this last ridge of trees. He slowed to a walk and caught his breath. Emotions raced around in his head. Anger...confusion…hurt…guilt…pain. He took one last breath before stepping out of the trees and into the small clearing where he knew Kikyo lay in wait.

He lost the last breath that he had taken as his eyes drank in the sight in front of him. Kikyo was lying in the intertwined branches of a tree. The branches seemed to hug her and Inuyasha noted that he only momentarily wished it could be him. He had found his feelings for Kikyo fading as of a late while his feelings for Kagome rose. Her skin was so pale that her black hair framed her face in perfect contrast. Her eyes were closed as soul collector demons floated casually around her. A soul would be dropped into her clay body every few minutes. Inuyasha stared for a few more moments, unable to look away. She had a certain peacefulness about her, but it was unlike Kagome's aura of peace. Kikyo's peacefulness felt almost deadly to Inuyasha. He could feel the bitterness and coldness radiating from her as he slowly took a few steps closer.

Her eyes slowly slid open. The coldness around her was easy to detect in her almost-black eyes. A deadly gleam glistened as she glared out at Inuyasha. To his surprise, a small smile grew upon her face. The smile turned into laughter. Her laughter wasn't warm either. It was filled with malice and jealousy. She was jealous of the living world around her that she knew she could never get the chance to join.

"Inuyasha, have you come to enact your revenge upon me?" Her words felt like daggers into his heart. When had she changed into such a bitter person and why hadn't he noticed it before? He felt anger rise up within him when he remembered what Kikyo had tried to do to Kagome. A growl escaped through his lips.

He stalked closer towards the dead miko. "Kikyo, why did you try to kill Kagome?" he questioned. His hand strayed to the hilt of Tetsusaiga. He was more afraid of the miko than he would ever be willing to admit. Kikyo made a mental note of his actions before turned her deadly gleam to him once more.

She avoided answering his question and seemed to glide out of the tree branches. "Inuyasha. What will you do now? Do you intend to kill me right were I stand?" Her eyes softened a little and guilt rose in Inuyasha's heart. He didn't want to kill her. He still loved Kikyo, at least in some way. She moved closer to him when he didn't respond. "Remember the feel of my lips upon your own," she stated as she moved within arm's reach. "Remember the feel of my skin against yours. I long to be with you Inuyasha."

Inuyasha stood completely still as Kikyo wrapped her arms around him. She was so cold and her scent was so foreign. He couldn't forget Kagome as he returned Kikyo's embrace. What should he do? Kikyo had tried to kill Kagome! The thought buzzed in his mind as he gently pushed Kikyo away. He asked his question again, softer this time.

"Kikyo. Why did you do it?" His amber eyes met her black, soulless ones. The smile and what little happiness she had been showing in her face vanished.

"So, that girl does mean more to you?" Her eyes met with the ground as a profound sadness enveloped her. Inuyasha grabbed her arms in his hands. He lowered his face to hers and slowly fit his lips against hers. Kikyo flinched back in shock. Her eyes opened wide at his loving gesture. Closing her eyes, Kikyo returned the kiss. 'I finally have him,' she smiled into their kiss. 'Kagome, you can die now.'

Oooo whatever will happen next?


	5. Let the Rain Come Down

Another chappie! I wanna say thank you so much to everyone who is reading this and sticking with me thru my writing. Your reviews keep me going! I love you all!

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own any of Inuyasha…lucky Rumiko Takahashi…I admire her genius

The wind whistled through the hole in the wall that people from the feudal era called a window. The blanket-like curtain blew inward. Droplets of rain made their way inside. The sleeping forms inside cowered closer to the far wall to get out of the water's way. A small droplet landed on Kagome's pale cheek and rolled downward. Her eyes clenched together tightly as she welcomed consciousness. Excitement filled her every being as she expected to open her eyes and have her Inuyasha, her savior and guardian, watching over her. She longed to look deep into his amber eyes. Those eyes…She felt like she could do anything when she got lost within them. Pain disappeared and her courage felt endless.

After taking another slow breath, Kagome opened her eyes. A frown grew on her face as a shadow seemed to drop over her. 'He's not here.' She sat up and pushed the blanket to one side. The wind pushed through the windows and door again and a chill rolled up her spine. She shivered in her pink pajama bottoms and baby T. Her black hair and clothes were matted to her body with the cold sweat that she had while sleeping. Another chill raced up her back. It took her a few moments to realize that she wasn't cold. 'What is this feeling?' She grasped her heart as a small ache grew. 'What is going on? Where is Inuyasha?'

An idea suddenly struck her. She controlled her powers before, didn't she? It took the want and need from the people in her life. Could she do that again? Kagome decided to try. Kikyo could always sense where Inuyasha was, why couldn't she? She powered her thoughts with Inuyasha and her other friends. She threw the feeling away from herself like a wave. Slowly, the feeling of the doorway that she was leaning against faded.

She was flying through the countryside. She whipped through trees and grass. Nothing held her back. She could feel the wind in her face and smell that smells of the country side. She felt completely free, yet she didn't control exactly where she was going. A small pull was tugging her towards Inuyasha. She could feel him in her every being. At last, she escaped from the grove of trees and entered a clearing. A slight glow emanated as soul collectors floated everywhere. The sight in the center took her concentration away. She immediately snapped back into her physical body.

She felt rain on her face. Touching a hand to her cheek, she realized, no, it wasn't rain. She was crying. Looking back into the strange hut, she saw her friends sleeping soundlessly through the downpour. Kagome pushed aside the straw door and stepped outside into the rain. Her clothes and hair were immediately drenched. It felt good to have the past few days' sweat and dirt get washed away. She stood in the rain, shivering from what she had seen, for a few long moments. The images repeated themselves in her mind like a movie playing on repeat. She kept seeing Inuyasha grab Kikyo and pull her to himself, kissing her passionately.

More tears poured from her eyes and got lost within the rain. Kagome didn't know what to do. The well was a good day's walk from the village she was in. She couldn't very well go to Inuyasha. A 

disturbing noise reached her ears. It sounded like a ripped of some sort. It didn't take her too long to realize that the terrible noise was coming from her. Sobs racked her body and she ran; ran towards the Forest of Inuyasha as fast as her feet would take her. She missed a step and stumbled into the mud. Not wasting a single moment, Kagome got back to her feet and kept running.

Brown mud ran down her face, intermingling with the rain. Her hair was covered in the stuff and her pink shirt was stained brown as well as her pants. She felt soaked through to the bone, to her heart. Everywhere she looked, she saw Inuyasha…kissing…Kikyo. It had never hurt this bad! Every time it was Kikyo who had pulled Inuyasha to her, but this time was different. The slight change made a world of difference. Her heart was pulled in two; she could feel the pain within her chest. That combined with the heavy sobbing made it hard to breathe. Running became almost impossible, but she kept going anyway. A few minutes later, Kagome broke down. Collapsing to the ground under a leafy oak tree, she curled into a ball and lay on her side.

She felt the rain roll down her body as a puddle formed underneath her. Exhaustion began to catch up to her as her eyelids slowly fell. Listening to the peaceful drip dropping of the slowing rain fall from the leaves above her, Kagome shudder once more before welcoming unconsciousness.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo whispered in his ear. Only, he heard Kagome's voice instead. He felt the guilt and anger mount within him once again. Something was wrong. He felt a wave of energy pass over him before disappearing instantly. Kikyo straightened with a menacing grin. She pushed herself out of Inuyasha's arms and looked in the direction of the hut that he had come from. Her smile widened as she closed her eyes and seemed to concentrate.

"K-Kikyo, what was that?" Inuyasha followed her gaze as he sniffed the wind. Nothing but the smell of the rain that had come on so suddenly reached his sensitive nose. He glanced back at Kikyo for an explanation only to find her slowly walking away into the woods.

He called to her, half-heartedly. Something about this felt wrong. Kissing Kikyo, being with her, and even just holding her. It was where he knew he was supposed to be, but something was wrong within his heart. "Why don't you find out for yourself, Inuyasha?" Kikyo stopped only to answer before continuing on once more. Her thoughts shifted everywhere. 'I might not have the power nor resolve to kill you, Kagome, but Mother Nature shall not be as merciful as me. 'She frowned slightly. 'The spell to harm your spiritual powers wasn't to kill you. You will never realize the great deed I did by allowing you to access your powers.' Kikyo continued her lonely journey through the forest as her face darkened even more. 'You're more powerful than me even.'

Inuyasha watched Kikyo disappear before kicked away from the small clearing. The rain continued to pour down as he headed back to the hut. He hoped with every bit of himself that Kagome had not awoken in his absence. Some small part of him knew that she had. Feeling the weight of the 

beads of subjugation around his neck, Inuyasha hoped he was wrong. He pushed himself faster and was back at the small hut in almost no time at all.

Pushing the curtain door aside, Inuyasha stepped into the warmth of the room. He was shocked to see Miroku and Sango sitting around the fire. Miroku didn't meet Inuyasha's gaze as he peered deeply into the fire. Inuyasha shook himself like a dog before heading towards the dark corner where Kagome was supposed to be sleeping.

Sango cut him off. "She's gone, Inuyasha," she said in a whisper. He caught every word. Spinning on her, Inuyasha let his frustration out. "What do you mean, 'she's gone'?" He ground his teeth together as the truth ascended upon him. She really did leave. In the pouring rain? He headed back towards the door. The rain had dwindled to a light sprinkling.

"Perhaps she saw you and Lady Kikyo?" Miroku finally said without breaking his staring contest with the small fire. Inuyasha cursed Miroku's perceptiveness. Without saying a word, Inuyasha walked out the door.

I tried to make this one long for you guys since the last two were kinda skimpy. Let me know what ya think!


	6. Captured

Here you are folks. Sorry to keep you waiting and sorry it's not as long as I would have liked it to be. I hope you enjoy and keep the reviews coming. I love you all!

**Disclaimer:**I never will own Inuyasha or any of the characters, will I? pouts

Inuyasha ran through the light sprinkling of rain. He cursed his foolishness as he ran blindly through the dark. The rain had washed away Kagome's scent. It bled in all different directions. Something told him to head towards the bone-eater's well. He tried to think like Kagome, and every thought told him she would head there. She would try to go home.

"Please be ok, Kagome," he growled under his breath as he ran. The sun started to come up over the horizon. A pale blue light started to shine through the thinning clouds. The rain trickled to a stop, but Inuyasha didn't notice anything. His mind was one-tracked again and he just kept running.

Kagome woke up with a terrible headache. As the room spun in circles around her, she tried to grasp where she was and what had happened. She blinked hard twice to try and clear the spots from her vision. A dull throbbing pulsed in the back of her head. Pushing away the pain, Kagome attempted to focus. Booming laughter escalated and thundered around the room. Kagome slowly slipped back into unconsciousness.

Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara decided to use the day without Inuyasha as a day off. They all agreed that Naraku could wait and that without Kagome's ability to detect the shards or Inuyasha's sharp sense of smell, they really couldn't get anywhere anyway. Miroku gently put his arm around Sango's shoulder as he held a small picnic basket in the other hand. Shippo walked beside Kirara and lightly skipped, enjoying the sun's rays in his hair. Sango desperately tried to ignore Miroku's arm around her shoulder as she stared at the ground in the opposite direction, a light pink slowly emerging on her cheeks. Chuckling lightly to himself, Miroku decided to test his luck. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed her scrumptious bottom swaying in unison to her walking. It was too good to ignore. He let his hand travel farther and farther south….

SLAP!!

Kagome heard someone calling to her in the darkness. Everything was fuzzy. Her head ached and every muscle felt stiff. She clenched her eyes tightly shut in a desperate attempt to avoid reality. The someone kept calling to her to wake up. She thought she recognized the voice, but in all the dizziness that echoed through her head, she couldn't grasp who it was. Slowly, she opened her dazzling brown eyes and took in the room around her.

Everything spun for a few seconds before finally coming into focus. She wasn't bound or gagged like she thought she would be. Slowly sitting up, Kagome located the source of the calling voice and the booming voice she had heard before.

"Naraku," she sneered, backing subconsciously against the wall.

Inuyasha ran to the well in half the time he normally would have taken. 'That's because I have to go slower when Kagome is with me…' The thought made his heart ache, but a snarl grew on his lips instead. Anger lit in his eyes as he ran back towards the small village that he had come from. He veered from the normal straight path that he knew Kagome would have taken. He cursed himself for being so foolish. If only she knew the real reason for him seeing Kikyo. 'What if Kagome saw the kiss?' A blush began to grow on his face. 'She's really going to hate me for this.' He felt the wind rip through his hair as a familiar scent caught his nose.

"Naraku," he growled in anger. He changed course and headed towards the new scent. There was only one reason he would be so close to this area. 'Kagome…'

Miroku, a very distinct red hand print on his face, and Sango, a very distinct angry gleam in her eyes, both leaned against a small oak tree that resided at the top of a rolling hill. Shippo and Kirara were curled up next to each other, sleeping off the big lunch that they had eaten. An empty picnic basket and a red-and-white checkerboard blanket from Kagome's time were all that remained as evidence of the picnic. The sun continued to beat down upon the small field that they all resided in.

Kirara suddenly woke up. Pricking her ears forward and smelling with her delicate nose, she abruptly changed into her demon form. Shippo went flying as some of his fur was singed. Kirara looked towards a distant forest as a menacing growl echoed deep in her throat. Sango was immediately on her feet, Hiraikotsu in her hand. Miroku followed swiftly behind, placing himself protectively in front of Sango as he set his staff up as a shield in front of himself. Shippo recovered and clung to the back of Sango's shoulder. She could feel him shivering and assumed that he could feel the terrible aura as well.

"Do you sense that Miroku?" A swift nod and a darkening of his features told her what she needed to know. She couldn't differentiate between different demons' auras; she could only sense them. Miroku's behavior told her what she feared.

"Naraku." The name hung in the air for a moment before the companions all climbed onto Kirara. Flying as fast as she could, Kirara took them all towards the evil fiend. Everyone braced themselves for what they all hoped would be their final battle.

Bum bum Buuuuuuum. Will Inuyasha and the others save Kagome in time? What does Naraku want with her? Will Miroku ever stop being such a lech? When will Kikyo return again? Will she try and kill Kagome? What about Kagome's newly discovered spiritual powers? All these questions and more will be answer in the next chapter or two! Keep reading and enjoy!


	7. Kagome's Spiritual Powers

**Disclaimer:**Never have and never will own Inuyasha. It's all Rumiko!

SMACK! Kagome's weakened body slammed into the wooden wall of the hut that Naraku had chosen to hide out in. The barrier put around it would prove too difficult for even Inuyasha's red Tetsusaiga to break through or the monk's spiritual powers. He would have no distractions.

Kagome hit the wall and slid down onto the stone floor. Blood ran out of her mouth and nose. There were cuts all over her face and hands. Her head was pounding from the abuse. Her thoughts spun as she tried to grasp what exactly was going on. Red stained the floor as she spit out blood. She knelt on the floor and held herself up with her hands as she waited for another attack. Would she die here? She desperately tried to remember how to use her spiritual power. Every time she tried to accumulate enough power to do anything, Naraku just attacked her again.

Evil laughter echoed in the room as Naraku grabbed Kagome by her collar and lifted her into the air. "Poor miko. Will you die before your beloved Inuyasha is able to get to you? Don't worry; he will follow you into the afterworld shortly after." Naraku dropped her crumpled body onto the hard floor. He kicked her hard in the ribs before walking away to a distant corner. He continued to laugh evilly as he watched the young priestess grab her chest in pain. He heard cracking as soon as his foot made contact with her ribs.

Kagome was pissed. The mention of Inuyasha dying to her half-unconscious mind lit a fire inside of her. She let the rage fill her vision and mind and felt it grow with every new bit of laughter that escaped the despicable villain's mouth. The power escalated within her. All pain faded as she lifted her face defiantly towards Naraku. She smiled bitterly when she noticed the shocked look on his face. A faint blue glow began to grow, followed by a huge explosion…

Inuyasha quickened his pace as a new smell reached his nose. Kagome's blood. There wasn't as much as the other night, but even a small droplet of Kagome's blood had Inuyasha worried and on edge. He skidded to a stop right before a strong barrier. It surrounded a medium-sized hut and every inch of it pulsed with power. His mind never allowed him to second guess anything; not when Kagome was involved. Grabbing Tetsusaiga out of its sheath, Inuyasha pointed the demon-sword directly at the barrier. It pulsed once before turning a deep red color. Inuyasha let out a battle cry as he thrust the sword directly at the barrier.

Lightning raced through the sword and up into his arm as the powerful shield denied him access. Even red Tetsusaiga wouldn't work! A moment of panic wiggled itself into his thoughts as he was thrown backwards and onto the ground. Dirt covered his hair and haori and it was all he could smell. It was a moment of gratitude as it covered up the sickening smell of Kagome's blood.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, his anger now turned to fury. If anything happened to her…He threw himself at the barrier again, not willing to accept defeat.

Just as he was about to launch himself into a third attack, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo, all riding on Kirara's back, arrived.

"Inuyasha!" Sango's voice interrupted his thoughts of revenge and fear for Kagome's well-being. Kirara landed with a soft thud as her passengers dived off and ran towards Inuyasha. The rings on Miroku's staff jingled as he came to a halt next to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, what is going on in there?" Miroku eyed the barrier suspiciously. It was Naraku's. The strength was immense and the monk could feel that even his powers would be no good against this. The only person who could tear this down was a priestess of immense power. 'Kikyo, 'he thought bitterly. 'That's a bit ironic.'

"Kagome is inside," Inuyasha said under his breath. He was panting from all the force he was pouring into Tetsusaiga. Leaning on his sword, he put his head down to allow his eyes to be hidden underneath his bangs. Sorrow and fear emanated in them for a moment before he threw his head back up and glared at the barrier. "She's in trouble. I can smell her blood."

Sango and Miroku turned to stare at the barrier. Hatred instantly filled their minds. This was Naraku's doing. Could they save Kagome in time and enact revenge upon their long-time rival?

Miroku placed a restraining hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "We are all unable to break this barrier." His eyes cast to the ground. "It doesn't do any of us any good to pointlessly attack." Inuyasha glared at Miroku as the truth settled into him at last. 'Kagome…'

Naraku was thrown back against the wall as the huge explosion hit him right in the middle. His body broke apart and began to drift in midair. Likewise, the power surrounding Kagome lifted her upwards as she hovered a few feet off the ground. Lightning snapped around her and licked at Naraku's broken body. He smiled evilly.

"I shouldn't have underestimated you, girl. I should have taken your jewel shard when I had the chance. Oh well, I will be back to take it later, along with your head. Your death would destroy him more than I ever could," his booming voice turned into maniacal laughter as an orb of aura surrounded him in a protective barrier.

Kagome's spiritual power waned at the thought of her death hurting Inuyasha. 'He wouldn't be that hurt. Not for long anyway. He always has Kikyo to return to'. The thought of Kikyo instantly re-kindled the flames of her anger. Lightning coursed through her body as she was hung in the air. Her back arched at the sudden discharge of energy. The walls of the house began to burst apart. Wood and stone was flying everywhere. Kagome's power continued to grow until she saw that Naraku was gone.

Taking a gulp of the cold outdoor air, Kagome calmed herself. Slowly, she floated back to the ground. Falling to her knees, Kagome wiped the dried blood off of her lips with a pink handkerchief. Sighing, she collected herself and climbed to her feet. Taking a few wobbly steps, Kagome saw the full extent of her power. The building was in ruins and the barrier surrounding it was completely gone. Her comrades were staring blankly in her direction. Inuyasha sheathed his sword and took a few steps towards Kagome. Seeing her stagger, he sped up his arrival to her side.

Kagome let herself fall into his shoulder. He braced her as he wrapped one arm around her shaking body. Using every bit of her strength, Kagome pushed herself out of his arms.

"Inuyasha…" she said, almost under her breath. She wouldn't meet his eyes as she fiddled with her fingers.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha was curious in her sudden change of mood. She had never pushed him away before.

"Sit." The word was so gentle from her mouth, but the beads of subjugation were not biased to Kagome's mood. Inuyasha slammed into the ground as Kagome stepped away from Inuyasha towards Sango. Inuyasha's nature wouldn't let him show understanding. He knew she had a right to be angry with him. She didn't know why he visited Kikyo, why he had to kiss her goodbye. His nature would only let him show anger. He waited for the pull of the beads to stop before pulling himself up quickly. Kagome was talking silently to Sango as she nodded her head slowly. Kirara listened in, cocking her small head to the side, ears twitching.

"Kagome…." The anger in Inuyasha's voice was unmistakable. He raised one fist up to add to the intimidation as he waited for her to turn around. She ignored him as she climbed on top of the transformed Kirara. "Where do you think you're going?" He knew she wasn't his property, but he couldn't help it. She felt like she was his.

"I'M GOING HOME, STUPID!!" Inuyasha's ears fell back against his head as her scream carried enough air to move his silvery hair as if in a breeze. He leaned farther back as a blue glow began to grow around her. She was angry; she was REALLY angry.

Before he could get another word out and start an argument, Miroku's staff connected with his head. Inuyasha felt the bump grow as he turned his attention to Miroku. Seeing her chance, Kagome whispered to Kirara, and off they flew. Even as Inuyasha hit him square on the head, Miroku couldn't help but smile a winning smile.

'Oh how easy it is to fool the simple minded.'

There. Some closure for once. But what will Inuyasha do to win back Kagome's trust? And what about Kikyo? Can he really just forget her?


	8. To Kagome's Time

Sorry, this chapter doesn't really go too much farthar into the story. I'm super busy with homework and college stuff right now, but I will try to get you guys a decent chapter by the middle of next week! Thanks for reading! Keep the reviews coming!

**Disclaimer:** You guessed it! I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters!

_"Inuyasha!" Shippo shouted angrily at the hanyou that was seated at the foot of a giant oak tree. He was mad. Inuyasha had chased Kagome away. He missed her already and it was all stupid Inuyasha's fault. _

_"I know," he said without meeting Shippo's eyes. He felt guilty enough. Why did they all have to rub it in? He had chosen Kikyo and that was that. He owed it to her to choose her and go to hell with her. He had to give her that much at least. _

_"But I haven't said anything yet," Shippo whined back._

_"You're going to tell me to go and see Kagome."_

_He had intended to go and see her. He knew he had to break it off to save her some pain and, even though he desperately wanted her to stay, how could he ask her such a thing? She knew better than anyone that he needed to protect Kikyo and that it would be cruel to ask her to stay with him. _

_He did go to see her in the end. It was the right thing to do. Miroku was right in saying he needed to make a clean break. None of them understood. He wasn't breaking up with Kagome. He didn't want to. It was out of his hands and into the cruel hands of fate. What Sango said was resonating in his mind, repeating over and over again. _

_"You've chosen Kikyo and whatever but I imagine Kagome's sitting in her time, very confused about the whole thing." He remembered those words and imagined Kagome in pain. He hated seeing her in pain. It hurt him more than any demon ever could. What could he do to protect her when the pain was coming from him?_

_So he had gone and was intending to jump through the well, tell Kagome goodbye, and gather the jewel shards from her. As he stepped into the clearing that surrounded the bone-eater's well, a bright ray of sunshine filtered through the trees. It hit his eyes, causing him to squint. Once the wind blew the tree back to its proper place and he could see again, the sight made him lose his breath. _

_"Kagome…" It came out as a whisper, inaudible to anyone but himself, yet she seemed to hear him as she turned towards him. He had never seen such a sad look on her face before. It hurt to just look at her. In an instant, his well-rehearsed goodbye was lost. He had no words to say. She began to talk and he listened. Hear and absorbed every word. When she moved to stand close to him, he could smell the salt that was once on her face. Guilty. He felt completely guilty because he knew those tears had come from him. She only asked him one question; one question that would change the rest of his life. _

_"Inuyasha? Can I stay with you?" She still looked so sad, but a faint gleam of hope shined in her eyes. She looked straight into his golden eyes. 'The eyes that I fell in love with.' She remembered her realization under the sacred tree. She loved him. She knew that she could never love another as long as she lived. She couldn't forget him either. He looked so torn when she had been talking to him. She had never seen him look so sad before. _

_"You…you'll stay with me?" He couldn't believe she would stay! It felt like a lie, like someone was setting him up for a cruel joke. He didn't need to say goodbye. Kagome would always stay by his side. He remembered the small smile and nod she gave him in return. His heart instantly felt lighter…._

Inuyasha work with a start. He gripped the branch that he was sitting on. His claws dug into the wood. His heart beat faster as he tried to calm himself down. Kagome…That's right. He remembered slowly as his mind returned to the present and left the past. She said she'd always be by my side…

"Kagome…" He whispered her name as a light breeze careened through his silver hair. The memory of her leaving while he turned his back to her to confront Miroku returned. That was two days ago. She still hadn't come back. 'You're really mad this time, aren't you Kagome?' Kissing Kikyo and the feel of Kagome's presence floated into his mind. An embarrassed blush grew on his face when he thought about how Kagome had seen them with her powers. Kikyo had to have known Kagome was there watching. His ears drooped as he returned to leaning against the tree's trunk. Sticking his hands into the sleeves of his haori, he tried to forget Kagome and let the anger of her sitting him fill his heart and mind. It didn't work. He knew it wouldn't work this time. He might have lost Kagome forever just because he was stupid in trying to return to the past.

'The moment I kissed Kikyo, I realized it wasn't right. I had to say goodbye but she wouldn't let me. Just like Kagome, Kikyo wouldn't let me say goodbye.' The sun began to rise and Inuyasha decided he had to get her back. 'I'm coming Kagome. Please wait for me.'

Kagome woke up when the polluted sunlight of the modern day cascaded through her bedroom window. She felt frantic when she realized she wasn't around a campfire in the forest or in Kaede's hut. Bolting upright, Kagome took a few gulps of the morning air. Her window was open. 'I thought I closed this last night?' She stood in the window and looked outside. Somehow, it wasn't as clear and bright in the modern era. She told herself it was all the pollution, but deep down inside she knew it was because no one can see clearly when their other half is missing.

Kagome's mom called upstairs that it was breakfast time. Kagome quickly put on her school uniform and headed downstairs. She tried to push the sight of Inuyasha kissing Kikyo out of her mind, but it got increasingly hard when she say her favorite hanyou sitting at her spot at the table. Kagome stopped mid-step as her mind raced frantically. 'He already came back for me? Is he mad? Should I be mad?' While she was decided what facial expression to have, Inuyasha had risen and was standing in front of her. Kagome's mom quickly ushered Souta off to school and asked Gramps to help her with something outside. Thinking a silent thanks to her mother for being so understand and wise, Kagome decided it was best to be angry. If she surrounded herself with a wall of anger, it would be harder for him to hurt her. She knew what he was going to tell her.

He was going to finally tell her goodbye. She could feel it deep down. He had chosen Kikyo, of course he did. It was only natural that he did.

"Kagome…I…" he began.

"I don't want to hear it," she declared without looking at him. Suddenly, she found the floor pretty fascinating to look at. Without saying another word to him, Kagome walked right past and out the door, grabbing her backpack on the way out. She would be early for school and hungry without breakfast, but she didn't want to hear him say goodbye. Not after all they had been through.

The sun's brightness only seemed to be mocking her as she walked to school. It was a beautiful day, but it only caused her mood to darken farther. She was completely depressed by the time she reached the school. She was so engrossed in her thoughts, her head lowered, that she didn't hear her friends calling her.

Yuri ran up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Kagome jumped in shock. The touch immediately brought her back to the present.

"Why the long face, Kagome?" Suddenly they were all throwing questions at her about her delinquent boyfriend, what he did this time, and what was with the long face. Kagome walked past them a little ways before stopping in her tracks. Putting on her best smile, she turned around and faced them.

"Oh, he ditched me for his ex-girlfriend. Let's not talk about it, kay?" She beamed a large smile at them. All three of her friends shrank back as they all thought the same thing. 'You mean he dumped her? Again? Poor Kagome."

Unable to deal with their looks of pity, Kagome looked away from them and walked into the school. Class began and the teacher started to write complicated calculus formulas on the board. He said it would all be on the test tomorrow.

'Tomorrow! There's a test tomorrow? I don't know any of this!' Kagome lowered her chin to her desk as she realized she would have a lot of studying to do, and she still probably wouldn't pass.


	9. Moment of Safety

Thank you all so much for waiting for this next chapter! And thank you so much for the reviews. I 3 you all!

**Disclaimer:**Maybe I could just borrow Inuyasha for a while? No?

The sun was still shining as Kagome slowly walked up the steps to her house and the shrine. A slight breeze blew through her black hair as her mind wondered everywhere. Inuyasha had come to get her. It only took him one day.

She puzzled over why he didn't do more to stop her from leaving in the morning and why she didn't see him out of her classroom window. Pushing the thoughts aside, she braced herself for him once she got to the sliding glass door of her house. She knew he would be angry, but she was just too exhausted to fight anymore. The same thing that happened in the morning would most likely happen again.

Pushing the door closed, Kagome walked inside. A note was taped on the fridge for her. Reading it carefully, Kagome stretched and began to walk towards the stairs. 'So they all went shopping, eh?' Kagome didn't see Inuyasha in the living room or the kitchen. He didn't jump on her the moment she walked inside. Where was he?

A frown grew on her face when she realized he must have given up. Her bangs covered her eyes as she stared at the stairs below her feet. He had really wanted to say goodbye, but since she wasn't willing to listen, he just left her behind. Her eyes became watery as she opened the door to her room. Inuyasha was gone forever. He forever belonged to Kikyo. He was never coming back.

She couldn't help the feeling of hopelessness as her heart sank farther and farther with each step she took. Kagome decided all she wanted to do was throw her backpack upon the ground and collapse onto her bed. Her pillow would offer her comfort after a very trying day. Walking away from him earlier had been the hardest thing she had ever had to do.

Kagome nudged her bedroom door open with the toe of her shoe. Her eyes never left the ground as she dropped her backpack solemnly on the ground. She momentarily glanced out the window at the Sacred Tree. She was transfixed for a moment as she watched the sun dapple through the shifting leaves. She felt the lone sacred jewel shard around her neck shimmer with purity as her thoughts drifted to the peaceful serenity that the tree had always seemed to offer her.

Turning around, Kagome clenched her fists to her sides, her good mood immediately dissolved at the sight in front of her. Her jaw opened in shock as she shook with anger. There, lying on HER bed, was the very hanyou that had broken her heart. She glared at him a moment longer before she couldn't keep the grimace on her face any longer. A small smile slowly crept upon her face at the sight of his peaceful sleeping face. She knew how exhausted he got with constantly fighting. For the first time, she thought about how worried he must've been when Naraku had her. A frown grew on her face when the thought crossed her mind. She never thought about that before. He must've overexerted himself just to get her back.

She smile again as he muttered something incoherent in his sleep. She thought she even heard her name. Her heart fluttered as his eyes slowly slid open. He caught her gaze and for a moment, neither of them said a word and they both secretly enjoyed each other's company for what they both thought would be the last time.

'There's no way she is going to forgive me and take me back,' the hanyou thought as he stared into her chocolate brown eyes. He admired the depth within them and thought her eyes perfectly matched her soul.

'Any minute now, he is going to tell me goodbye. He is going to return to Kikyo. I'll never see him again,' the young girl thought as she felt tears grow in her eyes. She continued to stare into his liquid gold eyes, never wanting to look away. She knew the moment they broke eye contact would be the moment he would leave her forever. She concentrated everything on keeping herself from crying. She wouldn't be seen as weak for their last moment together.

The silence dragged on as neither was willing to say a word. They sat and stared into each other's eyes, enjoying the silence and the final moment. Finally, without breaking eye contact, Inuyasha sat up slowly and captured Kagome within his arms. He didn't want her to walk away like last time. He held her so tightly that he shook, or was that her? He picked up on the smell of salt and pulled her onto his lap, holding her perfectly against him. His mind connected on the thought that she fit perfectly within his arms.

Kagome stiffened with shock as Inuyasha unexpectedly pulled her into his arms. She was expecting anything but this. Didn't he want to say goodbye? She couldn't hold it back anymore. Smothering her sobs into his haori, Kagome let the tears flow from her eyes. She felt herself shaking and he instinctively pulled her closer to him. Burying her head in his shoulder, Kagome felt his head settle next to hers. He waited patiently for her to finish crying. Neither said a word but the silence spoke more than any sentence ever could.

Inuyasha gently put a hand on the back on Kagome's head, stroking her hair gently. It was so soft and silky. 'Must be that Shin-poo stuff that she always has with her'. He inhaled the slight strawberry scent that he recognized as belonging to her. She clung to him like he was her only ship to safety. He held her back in much the same way. Both were confused.

'I thought he wanted to tell me goodbye.'

'I thought she would never want to see me again.'

Kagome inhaled one final breath against his strong chest before forcing herself to act. As much as she wished it, they couldn't stay this way forever. She dreaded the talk that was about to come, but in the same way, she knew it was unavoidable.

She finally pushed herself away from him, careful to move slowly so her head wouldn't smack into his. The moment she withdrew, so did he. Again they were caught staring into each other's eyes. Kagome opened her mouth to speak those fateful, last words.

--  
I wonder whatever shall happen next? Thanks for reading!


	10. Turn the Table

Sorry that it took so long to update you guys! I tried to make it worth while, but I'm just not satisfied with how this chapter turned out. I hope you like it anyways!

**Disclaimer:**Nope. Still don't own Inuyasha. Not even ONE single character!

Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore. He let everything go and took that final leap. In his heart, he said goodbye to Kikyo and let Kagome take the tiny part of his heart that she hadn't already had control of.

Kagome opened her mouth to speak but quickly found her words cut off as Inuyasha pressed his lips gently against hers. It was so innocent and awkward. 'Our first real kiss…' Relenting to the feelings she held within her, Kagome closed her eyes and kissed him back.

They stayed like that, sitting on Kagome's bed, with just their lips pressed together, both of them too afraid to do anything else. Pulling back, Kagome pressed her forehead against Inuyasha's and smiled that secret smile that he thought of so fondly. The tears had ceased falling and he gently wiped away the wet lines off of her face. A bright red blush was still very present on both of their faces. Neither of them met the others eyes. They were both too afraid to speak their feelings.

'What if she doesn't love me? What if she loves that flea-bag, Koga?' Inuyasha's face had a momentary lapse of happiness as he thought of that wolf.

'What if he still can't let go of Kikyo?' Kagome looked down and tried to believe it wasn't so, but after almost a year of travelling with him and being left behind for Kikyo, Kagome couldn't get it out of her mind that he could actually just devote everything to her.

Kagome knew Inuyasha was suffering with words even worse than she was. She knew what she wanted to say. Pushing everything to the back of her mind, Kagome abruptly stood up.

"Well then, let's go!" She grabbed his hand lightly and began to make her way out the door. Inuyasha, dazed, let her lead him down the steps, out of the house, and into the well house. Realizing he was at the edge of the well and finally noticing that Kagome had never let go of his hand, Inuyasha blushed lightly. He gently squeezed Kagome's hand in return. She looked up at him and while their eyes met for a second he saw a twinge of sadness. It quickly vanished into the eternal depth of her brown eyes and she turned away from him, balancing herself on the rim of the well with her one free hand. Inuyasha followed suite and before he knew it, that familiar blue light swallowed them up.

"Do you think Kagome will ever come back? She looked awfully upset," Shippo spoke in between licking the sucker that Kagome had given him a few days back. He was perched on the rim of the well with Miroku and Sango peering down into the darkness from over his shoulders. Sango leaned back, a frown set upon her face as she thought about Kagome never returning. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

"She might Shippo. It all depends on Inuyasha; although he does have the amazing ability to mess everything up where women are concerned. Me on the other hand…"

"Watch it, monk." Sango glared at the letcher as his hand moved from her shoulder to her back. He slunk down, realizing that his witty approach had been denied.

"Idiot," Shippo muttered under his breath. He leaned back on one hand and gazed up at the setting sun. A yawn escaped his lips, followed by a pout. Kagome still wasn't back yet!

"Please, try not to worry Shippo. I'm sure she'll return," Sango said, kneeling next to the kitsune. She folded her arms on the well and rested her chin on them. She joined Shippo in watching the sunset, all the while keeping a wary eye on the monk.

"Yes, Shippo. Sango's right. Even though I'm sure Inuyasha said something stupid and dug himself into a deeper hole than he was in. I swear, you can't teach an old dog new tricks." A rock connected with his head as he fell to the side, arms still crossing in front of his chest.

"Who are you calling an old dog, you letch?" Inuyasha's head appeared out of the well. He was poised in the middle, holding onto each outer side. Kagome popped up in front of him, a seemingly happy smile on her face. Her eyes were glowing with what had happened in her era. 'Although we still haven't really talked about it and there is still Kikyo after all.'

"Kagome!" Shippo leaped through the air and attached himself to her school uniform shirt the moment she set foot upon the grass. She hugged him close to her as he nuzzled against her, taking in her scent in case she decided to leave again. Kagome laughed for what seemed like the first time in a week. She spun Shippo around before facing her other friends. Everyone was smiling and in a good mood. It seemed like it was the way it was meant to be.

After watching the sun descend below the horizon, the group made its way back to Kaede's village. It was a slightly chilly night. Kagome and Inuyasha took the lead, walking side by side as Miroku and Sango walked behind them. Shippo was perched on Sango's shoulder. He could tell that the two wanted to be alone after they had been through so much.

Kagome shivered as a light breeze cut its way through the forest. Wrapping her arms around herself, she kept walking next to Inuyasha. Her eyes never left the ground. Warmth immediately overtook her as she felt Inuyasha's robe of the fire rat drop onto her shoulders. She grabbed it and pulled in tighter as she looked up at Inuyasha and offered him a smile and a small thanks in return. She almost wrapped her arm in his and laid her head on his shoulder, but the present company that was trailing them made her blush at the thought and rethink her decision.

Sango moved closer to Miroku. "I wonder how they patched things up." Miroku shook his head and looked at Sango.

"Kagome probably forgave him like always." Sango and Shippo both shook their heads as they whispered compliments towards Kagome's patience and kindness. Sango sighed in happiness for her friends when she saw Inuyasha place his robe over Kagome's shoulders.

"Maybe it will all work out in the end," she muttered under her breath in order to avoid Inuyasha's sensitive hearing. Miroku followed her gaze and offered a smile of his own. He turned towards Sango as a thought dawned up on him.

"You're not cold are you my dearest Sango?" He inched close in tune with the two that were walking ahead of him. Kagome was practically in Inuyasha's arms, but they made no motion to touch each other. Sango blushed furiously and pushed him away, not willing to let herself fall into his lecherous charms.

"I'm fine you pervert," she growled at him, glaring with all her worth. Miroku stepped backward as if he were struck. He stopped walking and let Sango get ahead of him, completely filled with shock. Regaining his composure, he slipped beside Sango again, taking her hand in his. Shippo watched with dull amusement from atop Sango's shoulder. Inuyasha and Kagome kept walking, oblivious to anything else in the world except each other.

"We are to be wed, are we not?" Miroku's false charm faded away to his true self underneath. He grinned as she began to blush at the idea. She turned her head away from him as he continued to hold her hand. Shippo suddenly found the forest behind them very interesting as he desperately tried not to watch. Miroku waited patiently for Sango's response.

"You…" she started in a whisper, lifting her head to look him straight in the eye. "You PERVERT!" Kagome and Inuyasha turned around at the sound of a loud WACK! Sango's Hiraikotsu had made perfect contact with the top of Miroku's head. He stood stiffly as his hands twitched from the pain. Sango quickly ran from him, past Kagome and Inuyasha. Shippo leap off as she passed Kagome, landing lithely upon the young school girl's shoulder. Kagome stared after Sango in dismay before turning around to glare at Miroku. He stared back innocently.

"What did you do this time, letch?" Inuyasha raised one eyebrow in questioning as he stared down Miroku. A confused look fell onto Miroku's face. He seriously didn't know what he had done this time. He scratched his chin and looked down the path in the direction that Sango, and now Kagome, had gone. Inuyasha kept his ears trained on Kagome's movements and his nose on Sango's tears. He decided not to mention that part to Miroku. He would have to discover she was crying and make it better all by himself. He didn't like letting Kagome go off on her own after what had happened, but he knew better than to follow and besides, Sango was with her. 'And Kagome's not as weak as she appears,' he thought to himself happily. She had adapted perfectly to the dangerous old world that she had been thrust into.

Miroku continued to stare blankly back at Inuyasha. Shippo came walking up the path. He had apparently dislodged himself from Kagome's shoulder when he realized there would be tears and heartbreak. He was still just a kid and held no interest in such things. All he knew was that it hurt to see Sango cry, just like it hurt whenever Kagome left him to her strange world that he couldn't go to.

Puffing out a breath of irritation, Inuyasha leapt up into the branch of a nearby tree and settled in to wait. The smell of Sango's tears diminished after a while. Inuyasha lazily opened one eye and looked down to Miroku, who was leaning against the tree that Inuyasha was in. Miroku glanced up and caught Inuyasha's gaze. Giving the nod to go ahead, Inuyasha leapt down to the path at the smell and sound of Kagome approaching. He inhaled deeply. Oh, how he loved that smell more than any other. He smiled slightly remembering what had happened only hours ago in Kagome's time. He dreaded talking about his feelings for her. 'I'm going to mess it up. I always mess everything up.'

Kagome passed Miroku and whispered some words into his ear. She only told him the least of what he needed to know to not get decked by the emotional Sango. Miroku nodded solemnly and continued down the path. Listening until the juggling sound disappeared, at least to her ears, Kagome settled down under the tree that Inuyasha had previously been in. She wrapped the robe of the fire rat tightly around her as she leaned against the hard bark of the tree. Inuyasha settled in next to her instead of returning to his tree branch. Shippo settled on Kagome's shoulder. The three waited in silence for Miroku and Sango to return.


	11. Death

Here ya guys go! Thank you so much for still reading and reviewing. I love you all!

**Disclaimer: Hrm. Inuyasha still isn't MINE!**

Miroku walked deliberately slow towards where Sango was sitting. He could see her Hiraikotsu leaning against a tree and heard Kirara's soft "mew". Listening to his staff jingling in the small breeze, Miroku thought up clever ways to get him out of the sticky situation he was in. No matter how many times he tried to think, however, he just couldn't consciously plan to lie to Sango. Puffing out a smell breathe of irritation at whatever stupid thing he managed to do this time, Miroku reached Sango and sat down beside her.

Her gaze was covered by her rich brown bangs. Miroku put his arm around her shoulder and when she didn't protest, he moved closer. Contrary to what she might have been thinking, his mind was nowhere near thinking about touching her butt. He was deeply concerned for her and her feelings. He knew he didn't always show it, but he would never be more true to another than he was to her. He smiled inwardly when he realized being a letch was just something he couldn't let go of.

"Will it always be this way, Miroku?" Sango finally spoke. She raised her head and looked him directly in the eyes; those ice blue, sapphire eyes. She lost herself for a moment before refocusing.

Miroku didn't need to ask what she meant. He knew her thoughts were right along with his. She was hurting because of his lecherous ways. He thought a moment before tightening his grip around her shoulders. She let herself be pulled closer to him and she desperately tried to hide her face as a deep blush grew upon it.

"No, Sango, it won't." He spoke in all honesty as his heart belonged to her and her alone. His body, however… He quickly brandished the thought as dirty images of gorgeous girls filled his mind. But as always, Sango's angered face replaced any and all thoughts of doing anything perverted. He cringed a little.

Sango nodded and cursed herself for being so emotional. She quickly donned a calm face and stood, letting Miroku's arm fall off of her shoulder. Deciding it was just exhaustion that was making her act so odd, Sango flashed Miroku a small smile. Her thoughts were to their future and the proposal that he had already previously made. She wanted to live the rest of her life with him, but they both had duties to take care of first. Sango's mind settled on thoughts of Kohaku.

"Let's go, Miroku," Sango said absentmindedly as she started to make her way back to the others. Kirara uncurled herself from her hiding spot under a nearby bush and started to walk away with them. Turning her head into the wind, Kirara caught the scent of someone very familiar. Growling softly, she quickly transformed and turned her growl to a more forte volume. Sango stopped in her tracks and reached out for Hiraikotsu. Miroku tightened his grip on his staff and ran alongside Sango to Kirara. They both hopped on her back without a moment's hesitation and flew off towards the person Kirara smelt.

'Kohaku…' Sango knew it had to be him.

Shippo was perched on Kagome's shoulder, sucking on a sucker that she had just given him. Kagome was gazing up at the clouds and enjoying the gentle breeze that blew through her raven-colored hair. She was enjoying her company every more. Inuyasha was sitting closer to her than usual. He was actually pressing against her, and she enjoyed the shared body heat. Neither of them had said a word yet, but both understood the silence once again. They were both thinking about the kiss that spoke volumes more than simple words could. Kagome was blushing as she imagined Inuyasha holding her hand and leaning in to whisper three simple words into her ear: "I love you."

Inuyasha glanced over at the young girl sitting next to him. She was blushing furiously and had a wistful look on her face. Her hands were held together in front of her as she smiled broadly. Confusing washed over him.

"Oi, Kagome, what are you doing?" His voice came out more harshly than he intended. Kagome seemed to snap out of her daydream. She looked at Inuyasha with love in her eyes.

"Er, what did you say?" she blinked a few times until the previous lovesick-look disappeared.

"I asked what the hell you were doing," he barked, annoyed now, more at him than her. He couldn't even tell this girl that had accepted him as he was perfectly how he felt towards her. She glared back at him. He could tell his words had angered her, and he got angry in response to her reaction. It was a stupid reaction for him to have, he knew this, but he couldn't change how he was. Anger came to him before any other emotion.

"What do you mean, 'what am I doing'? I'm sitting here waiting for Miroku and Sango to get back!" Her yelling just fueled the flame that was already inside of him. She felt confused as to why he was lashing out all of a sudden. Shippo remained perched on Kagome, shaking his head at the two. 'Inuyasha, you'll never learn, will you?'

"You're sitting there acting like an idiot!" he yelled, jumping to his feet. She in turn, scrambled to her own feet and stood on her tippy toes in order to match him, eye-to-eye.

"Excuse me?! You're the one who's being an idiot!"

"I'm not the one stuck in some stupid daydream!"

"Inuyasha…" her tone had a warning in it that he knew very well. The anger dissolved from his face and was replaced with the fear of what was to come.

"No, wait Kagome! I didn't…"

"SIT BOY!" She screaming in his face and he plummeted into the ground. 'At least she only said it once this time,' he thought to himself as the beads kept him pinned deep in the ground.

"SIT! SIT! SIT!" She continued to yell the subjugating word at him, releasing all of her pent up anger. 'Why is he so STUPID?' she thought angrily as she stormed away from the crater that he was in. Inuyasha moaned in agony as Shippo stood near by. He was terrified of Kagome when she got angry.

"You never learn, do you Inuyasha?" Shippo said smartly as he closed his eyes and went back to licking the sucker he had. Inuyasha remained pinning in the pit. He waited in pain for the powers to wear off so he could chase after than damned Kagome and give her a piece of his mind! Something was different with the subjugation this time. It felt like the power than had kept him sealed for 50 years. A mild panic grew in the back of his mind as he struggled with all his might against the power that held him. He wouldn't admit to himself how completely terrified he was.

Something in him clicked. He did want to give her a piece of his mind, but not the angry part. He remembered the unsaid words that were locked up in his heart. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. He wanted her to know that Kikyo was no longer an issue and he wanted her to say it back. He wanted her to be his.

Kagome stormed off down the path that led through the woods towards the village. Her shoes crunched the grass beneath them as she skidded to an abrupt halt. She had the intense sense that someone was watching her. She knew that wasn't the case as this feeling was nothing new to her. She looked in the general direction of the feeling and shock suddenly overwhelmed her. She could do nothing but stare as the new twist to the once familiar feeling took hold of her. It was exhilarating but at the same time frightening. She shuddered as she broke out in a cold sweat. Her concentration remained unbroken.

Inuyasha ran down the path that he knew Kagome took. He paid no attention to the little fox demon that was attached to his shoulder. He saw Kagome in the middle of the path. He did what was natural for him. He covered his feelings up with anger towards her.

"Kagome…" he began in an angry tone. He approached her, waiting for her to turn around and lash out at him. He stopped dead when he saw the look on her face. It was a look of utter concentration. She almost looked as if she was under a trance. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Kagome?" The sound of his voice and the warm feeling of his hand broke her out of the trance she was in. He left his hand on her shoulder, hoping she would overlook it. He loved the feeling of when they touched, even it was something done in simple friendship.

She stared at him with her deep brown eyes. The sunlight filtered down through the trees and lit her hair up. He could see dark brown and even blue tinted strands of hair intermingled in with the midnight black ones. To him, she was so beautiful in every way possible.

Tears grew in her eyes and he was instantly on alert. His other hand found the hilt of Tetsusaiga. Shippo hid himself within Inuyasha's long silver hair. It would have normally bugged the half demon, but he was so completely focused on Kagome that he didn't even notice.

"I saw…"she began. She paused and thought a moment. It was hard to put into words what had just happened to her. She blinked back the tears, letting a numb feeling overcome her. "I sensed a sacred jewel shard. But it was…different. I could pinpoint it exactly. I could feel the person it was in; feel their powers. It's Kohaku."

Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief as he tucked both hands within the sleeves of his haori. "Idiot. You had me worried." He frowned deeply at her when she didn't meet his gaze. Something still wasn't right.

"That's not it! I could see what the jewel could. I could see through Kohaku's eyes." She swallowed hard before continuing. She knew she had to be strong. Inuyasha and Shippo needed to hear what she saw and what happened. "Inuyasha…Miroku's dead!"

--

Oh dear! I bet you didn't see that one coming! Stay tuned! I'm sorry it's taking me so long between updates, college ya know. Trust me, if I could just sit here and write stories all day, I would!


	12. Half Whole

**Disclaimer:**Nope. Inuyasha is most definitely NOT mine...:(

The wind whipped his hair backwards; he could feel his ponytail flapping in the wind and he could see his bangs parting around his face in unity with the strong breeze. The chain of his scythe rattled and he held the cold steel ball at the end within his fist. His fingers were closed tightly around it. The actual weapon itself was attached loosely at his hip. He was waiting. For orders or for death, it didn't matter which. He breathed in the pure scent of the wind and looked down into the valley below him.

"Kohaku!" A sharp cry from a voice he now recognized pierced his silence. He closed his eyes and turned around; hoping with what little hope he had left that it wasn't her. He hoped he was imagining her voice; the voice that took him back to the very few good memories he remember and the one terrible one that was now too vivid in his mind. He couldn't live with the guilt. He knew what his destiny held and what he must do.

He faced her. She had brought that monk with her. The one he knew she cared so much about. Kohaku offered them little more than a stone-cold stare. He heard the light buzzing behind him and knew he was being watched. Appearances had to be kept. Gripping the handle of his blade, Kohaku lithely pulled his weapon off of his hip and into his hands. He pulled his feet apart and took up a fighting stance. He waited for the signal; he waited to start the fake fight that took a toll on his heart every time. It brought him back to the memories of when the fight had been very real and when he had killed his friends and family. He had almost killed the girl that was now standing on the ground a few feet away from him.

She held the strap that latched her deadly weapon to her back with one hand and she reached out for him with her other. She took a few careful steps towards him. He noted grimly that they were wearing the same slayer outfit. Their weapons were made of the same demon bones and most importantly—they had the same blood pumping through their veins.

Her hand reached up to touch his face tenderly. He let her hand linger on his cheek for a moment before pulling back. Forcing the tears out of his eyes, he flung his weapon at her; he threw it at his own sister! The monk placed himself in front of the flying weapon and the girl with her defenses down. His solid gold staff coupled with many years of training and practice made it easy for him to deflect the weapon straight back at the user. Kohaku gave a chain a sharp tug and the blade found itself safely back into his hand. He formed a look void of emotion and placed it on his face. She would be less likely to get closer if he didn't let his emotions show.

"Kohaku…" her hope faded quickly as she realized he was still under Naraku's control. Miroku remained in front of her with his staff out defensively. He knew Sango was not in a good state to fight. His robes made a flapping noise as they whipped violently in the wind. Sango continued to stare hopelessly at her brother.

A pulsing pain etched through Kohaku's back. His mind felt like someone was tugging at it. He clutched his free hand to his head as he struggled to maintain control. He felt Naraku's evil presence in the back of his mind. It felt like a miasma was released into his very soul. He knew it was slowly tearing him apart. Through the darkness of the pain, he stayed focused on Sango's face. That face that he couldn't forget no matter how hard he tried. The face that had brought him back his memories and helped him cope with the pain. His vision blurred as Naraku's command grew. It formed into words now.

"Kill them. Kill them Kohaku." The evil voice boomed from his thoughts. He felt himself struggling for control with Naraku's orders. He heard the Saimyosho behind him buzzing in agitation at him for going against the order. He knew the only way to relieve some of the pain was to act on what Naraku bided him. He still retained enough power over himself to not enact it completely, however. He threw his weapon directly at the monk. With ease, the older man swept the blade off to one side with his golden staff.

Miroku used the opportunity of Kohaku's distraction to run right at the boy. He intended to knock him down and disarm him. Kohaku backed up as he pulled on the chain of his weapon. He realized it wouldn't return to his hand in time. Taking another step back, Kohaku found himself at the very edge of the cliff. He looked behind him and panicked for a moment as he saw the stones he knocked free plummet down into the valley deep below. The monk was almost to him now and Kohaku panicked. He didn't want to die like this.

Miroku saw that Kohaku was at the very edge of the cliff. He would have to pull him forward instead of pushing backwards. Kohaku ducked out of Miroku's hands unexpectedly and gave him a swift kick to the stomach. Kohaku thought he was preserving his life. He knew his sister wouldn't kill him, but he didn't know what the monk would do. He never meant it to end how it did.

Miroku flew past Kohaku, his direction changed by the kick to the stomach. His momentum hadn't slowed down, however, and he found himself barreling for the edge. There was nothing to stop him with; there were no hand holds or trees to slow down on. He dug his staff into the ground, but it was too late. The inertia flung him directly over the edge and before he knew it, he was free falling down the side of the cliff with only the wind and the scream from Sango to keep him company.

"Miroku!!" Sango screamed with everything she had in her as if by sheer words alone, she could bring Miroku back up from over the side of the cliff. Grasping Hiraikotsu tightly, she cautiously made her way to the edge of the cliff. Kirara accompanied her, whining a soft sorry as if to apologize for being to far away to have possibly caught him before he would have hit the bottom. Sango looked over the edge. Miroku's staff was stuck in the ground near the edge. It glittered in the sunlight, marking the monk's final moments.

Sango felt a tear slide down her face. Her hopes for love and a peaceful future had gone over the side of the cliff with the lecherous monk. She brought her hand up in a fist in front of her. Rocks crunched to her immediate left. Feeling her emotions building, Sango swung her arm around and felt it connect with her younger brother's face. He flung backwards and landed roughly on her back. Sango kept her fist raised in front of her. She had never remembered ever feeling so angry in her entire life. She had never hated Kohaku. After all the people he had murdered, after all the things he had done, Sango had never harbored angry thoughts for him.

This was different. Kohaku had killed Miroku. She had loved the monk, even with all his pervert ways. She knew she wouldn't have changed a thing about him. She had never even gotten the chance to say she loved him and she had never had the chance to hear him say it to her. Kohaku scrambled to his feet and dropped his weapon at his feet. He lowered his head in submission to whatever was coming. Lost in the anger and sadness, Sango drew her sword and charged at Kohaku. He dropped to his knees. He didn't think he deserved to live after what he had done. Hadn't he put his sister through enough? Now he killed the man she loved. It was an accident, but he knew she would never see it that way.

Before she could make it to Kohaku, Kirara had placed herself between the two siblings. Sango slowed to a stop and realized for the first time that there were tears cascading down her face unchecked. It seemed she had been crying an awful lot lately. She remembered earlier in the day when Miroku had held her in comfort to her tears. Who would hold her now?


	13. Hopeless

**Disclaimer:** *checks* nope. still don't own Inuyasha

Inuyasha held Kagome as she cried against his shoulder. He couldn't even feel the joy of having her pressed up against him. His mind flooded with memories of Miroku and he tried to erase the tightening that grew in his chest. Kagome started to shake as sobs escaped her body. Shippo clung to her shoulder as if it was the last anchor to earth. Small tears ran down his face as he desperately tried not to cry, remembering how Inuyasha had told him that real men didn't cry a while back. He sniffled and buried himself in Kagome's long black hair.

A cool breeze blew down the path as a giant feline landed next to the small huddled group. Kagome pulled her face out of Inuyasha's shoulder, noting dimly the wet puddle she had left on his red haori. He kept a comforting hand on her shoulder as she turned to face the demon slayer that was stone-still on Kirara's back. Sango didn't meet Kagome's teary brown eyes, but instead stared intently at the golden staff that she held clasped in her hand.

"Sango-"Kagome started to say before cutting herself short. What could she even say? She knew, more than the two of them were willing to admit, how much the two had cared for one another. Sango looked up. Her eyes were already red and starting to get puffy. Kagome guessed that she had cried the entire way back from the cliff. Kirara huffed out her sympathy as Sango climbed off her back and into the arms of her waiting friend.

The two young girls cried together. Sango was missing her love, her future. Kagome was missing a good friend. He had always been there for her in moments when she needed wisdom or extra support. He had been there for them all. Sango let down her tough-girl façade and bawled her sorrows into Kagome's shoulder. Kagome held Sango as tears silently wound down her cheeks. Inuyasha kept his hand on Kagome's shoulder, glaring down onto the path. Anger was a much easier emotion for him to feel, so he let himself be mad at anything and everything that could possibly be to blame. He stopped just short of blaming Sango herself for letting her brother do such a thing.

"I couldn't do it," Sango mumbled into Kagome's shoulder. Kagome gently pushed her backwards and asked her to repeat herself. It was still hard to understand through the tears.

"I couldn't make myself do it. I couldn't kill Kohaku for what he had done." Sango met Kagome's brown eyes with her own. Kagome's gaze was filled with sympathy and sorrow. She knew exactly what Sango was talking about. She had pretty much been there. She had seen what Sango had, only through Kohaku's eyes instead. She had felt Kohaku's emotions along with it. He felt so…helpless and sorrowful. Sango's sadness had caused him pain. It confused Kagome that Kohaku would have these feelings while being a complete puppet to Naraku. Could it be that he had broken the spell? Why not tell them then?

The realization hit her like a slap to the face. She tried not to show the shock and if Sango or Inuyasha caught it in her eyes, they didn't say anything. Kagome knew why he wouldn't tell them. He wanted to defeat Naraku from the inside. He wanted to make what he had done wrong, right. But why kill Miroku then? Would he do even that to keep up appearances? Kagome met Sango's eyes again and put one hand on each of Sango's shoulders. She took a deep breath as she wrestled with the words in her mind.

"You did the right thing Sango. He wasn't himself. That wasn't your brother who did this." Kagome watched Sango's reaction. Sango looked down to the path and let her bangs cover her eyes. She let one last tear fall before succumbing to the numbness. Kagome made the decision then and there to keep Kohaku's secret from everyone else. She had to let him keep what little chance he had at sabotaging Naraku. Kagome hooked an arm around Sango's shoulder and walked her to Kirara. The sunshine seemed an utter mockery as it beat down upon the saddened group. Shippo poked his head out from under the shelter of Kagome's hair. He looked up into the sky and hoped for a better tomorrow.

"Let's head back to Kaede's village." Kagome's voice came out in a rough whisper. Sango flopped herself emotionlessly onto Kirara's back. Inuyasha got down on one knee to help Kagome onto his back. She shook her head sadly at him and climbed up behind Sango. She would need all the support she could get at the moment. Inuyasha nodded that he understood as he ran ahead of them to the village. His vision grew blurry as he ran. He allowed only one tear to slide its way down his face and he wiped it away irritably as the forest around him became a blur lost in his emotions.

Two days later found the small group still at Kaede's. Inuyasha was through being gracious. He was irritated and wasn't afraid to let anyone know it. He received many sits from Kagome, but he couldn't help being annoyed at the lack of progress. The morning was cloudy and one fat raindrop hit his face as he made his way into Kaede's small hut. It had been raining ever since the incident as if the heavens themselves were crying over such a loss. Inuyasha pushed the straw door aside angrily. He flipped his head to the side to move the hair from his face. Kagome was kneeling next to the fire, warming her hands on the small flame. He stopped a moment to admire her beauty as the flame danced on her face, giving a warm orange glow to her complexion. He quickly averted his eyes as she looked up at him hopefully.

His eyes roamed the room before resting on Sango. She was where she always was. Her back was to him and she was lying on Kagome's sleeping bag on the floor. Her chestnut hair covered her face as she wallowed in self-pity and anger. Why wasn't the world satisfied? It had taken her entire family and now it took the only man she would even love. She contemplated this same though for the past two days. Nothing seemed to make any sense anymore. She looked over her shoulder at Inuyasha. She had the same hopeful look that Kagome did. Inuyasha sighed inwardly. 'Damn…'

He made his way across the room before settling against the wall across from Kagome. He felt the warmth from the flame warm his face as he leaned closer to the fire. It seemed to be trying to warm out the chill that had been in his bones ever since the incident. Both girls had their eyes locked on his. He looked back into Kagome's brown eyes. He could tell that she caught the emotion in his eyes. She always seemed to know exactly what emotions he was thinking. She had been around him long enough to tell when he was angry, when he was sad, when he was hiding something, and especially when he had just seen Kikyo.

Likewise, he could tell what she was feeling too, but not through her eyes. Her actions and little things that she did make it fairly obvious to him what was running through her mind and heart. If she was angry at him or upset over something, she would excuse herself and take a walk through the woods, no matter what time of day it was. If she was sad, she would refuse to meet his eyes and would sleep with her back away from wherever he was. If she was sad because of him, her eyes would sparkle, but in a different way than when they sparkled with excitement. If she was angry at someone other than him, she would grumble under her voice, but his sensitive hearing would usually catch what she said anyway. Whenever she was thinking deeply about something, she would toss and turn in her sleep a lot. She had been like that a lot lately. If she was completely pissed at him, he knew he could expect a couple of sits followed by: "I'm going home, stupid!"

Right now, she looked down and wouldn't meet his eyes anymore. She was sad. He looked over and Sango and started to speak. She rolled back towards the wall. Her mind reeled when she noticed the sad look on his face. The news that she didn't want to hear was about to come out of the half-demon's mouth. She closed her eyes and braced for the impact.

"I didn't find him." Inuyasha's voice held sadness for the first time in two days. Kagome met his eyes and he noticed her own eyes opened wide for a split second before she suppressed the shock at the tone of his voice. He had learned from their almost-year of adventures together that she almost immediately repressed emotions right after she felt them. This was true for everything except anger. Her sadness sometimes broke through too. 'Even with her being a stupid, fragile girl, I've only seen Kagome cry a few times. And it was never out of pain or fear. It was always because of me.'

Inuyasha let his mind wander and didn't notice immediately that Sango had gotten up for the first time since they had gotten back. She seemed unsteady on her feet, as if she had forgotten to walk. Inuyasha scoffed at her human weakness. 'She's acting as if without Miroku, she's forgotten about life. As if nothing is worth doing anymore. Stupid.' _What would you do if Kagome died?_ He stopped himself as his conscious screamed the thought at him. Overwhelming sadness overwhelmed him as he thought about it. He realized he might feel the same as Sango.

'No. I wouldn't feel the same. I would feel much worse. And I definitely wouldn't live much longer. Kagome, I will follow you anywhere. Even in death.' He stared into her eyes, daring her to make eye contact. She was staring out the door after Sango. He could tell she was worried in the way that she was wringing her hands together. She then smoothed out her skirt. He knew what she was going to say next.

"I'm going after Sango." Yep. Exactly what he knew would come out. She always pulled down and flattened out that cloth of hers whenever she was about to get up. He stood up when she did.

"I'm coming with you." Kagome started to protest when Sango re-appeared in the door. Kirara was perched on her shoulder and she held Hiraikotsu on her back. Her eyes were red and puffy and her face was blotchy. Her hair was disheveled and she looked shaky.

"Sango…" Kagome half-whispered her best friend's name. Sango looked up and met Kagome's eyes. Before Sango spoke, Kagome nodded and returned to her spot on the floor. Inuyasha looked back and forth between the two, trying to catch the secret message. Sango retreated back out the door and Inuyasha sat across from Kagome once more.

"What the hell was that all about?" Inuyasha's voice came out harsher than he had intended. He cringed when he saw the look on Kagome's face. He gulped and was about to say something to take back what he said, but he was cut off.

"Inuyasha, SIT!"


End file.
